The present invention relates generally to integrated circuits and in particular the present invention relates to integrated circuits with substrate isolation circuitry.
Many types of integrated circuits employ on-chip substrate bias generators (also known as xe2x80x9ccharge pumpsxe2x80x9d) for enhanced performance by lowering the junction capacitance between diffused areas and the substrate, and by reducing the body effect on integrated field-effect transistors (xe2x80x9cFETsxe2x80x9d). Charge pumps are typically used on complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor (xe2x80x9cCMOSxe2x80x9d) memory circuits such as static random-access memories (xe2x80x9cSRAMsxe2x80x9d) and dynamic random-access memories (xe2x80x9cDRAMsxe2x80x9d), but are not limited to these applications.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a simplified block diagram of a packaged integrated memory circuit 10 includes a package 12, external package pins 14, and dedicated package pins 16, 18, 20, and 22. External package pins 14 typically provide electrical connection for address buses and control functions for the memory. Pin 16 provides electrical connection to a first power supply voltage VCC, pin 18 provides electrical connection to a second power supply voltage VSS, pin 20 receives an inverted chip select signal, and pin 22 receives an inverted output enable signal. Pins 14-22 are only shown as being representative of atypical memory circuit but other varied configurations are possible. It is important to note that the substrate is not connected to any of the external package pins.
Inside the package, the integrated circuit includes a primary memory circuit 26, a charge pump 24, and a substrate 28. The charge pump 24 and memory circuit 26 are integrated together in a single integrated circuit, which is in physical and electrical contact with the substrate 28. Conductors 30 and 32 are shown only to illustrate the substrate voltage. The charge pump 24 is powered by VCC and VSS and generates axe2x88x921 volt VBB voltage for driving the substrate. In turn, the entire substrate is biased toxe2x88x921 volts, including the portion underlying the memory circuit 26.
Integrated circuit memory circuits are typically tested at wafer sort where, since the integrated circuit has not yet been packaged, the substrate can be readily electrically contacted. During testing, the positive power supply voltage VCC and the substrate voltage VBB are varied in order to stress certain failure mechanisms and identify both failed and marginally performing circuits. Once the integrated circuits are packaged, however, access to the substrate is lost and the ability to stress failure mechanisms related to the substrate voltage is diminished. U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,422, incorporated herein by reference, describes a circuit for forcing the internal substrate voltage VBB once the integrated circuit has been packaged to allow more thorough testing. A portion of U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,422 is provided in the following paragraphs.
Referring to FIG. 2, a forcing circuit is shown for forcing an integrated circuit substrate to ground. The forcing circuit of FIG. 2 is manufactured on an integrated circuit together with a primary circuit such as DRAM or SRAM. The integrated circuit is fabricated in a package having a number of external pins in electrical contact with the primary circuit and forcing circuit, but none of the external pins are connected with the integrated circuit substrate. The forcing circuit includes a test mode indicator or detector circuit 34 having an input coupled to an external primary circuit pin 14 and an output for providing a test mode signal TESTMODE* on conductor 38. An N-channel switching transistor Q3 has a drain coupled to the substrate 36, a source coupled to ground, and a gate for receiving the test mode signal VBBTEST, which is logically inverted from TESTMODE*. The TESTMODE* signal is inverted by an inverter stage including a P-channel transistor Q1 and an N-channel transistor Q2.
In the forcing circuit of FIG. 2, the test mode detector 34 can be a supervoltage detector responsive to a boosted type of digital or analog circuit that responds to a combination of inputs not normally allowed during normal operation of the integrated circuit. For example, in a DRAM, applying a CAS* (column address strobe) input signal before a RAS* (row address Strobe) input signal while holding the WE* (write enable) signal low is a sequence that is not encountered or allowed during normal operation. An electronic key circuit can be designed by those skilled in the art to provide a TESTMODE* signal in response to this sequence of input signals. Other types of test mode detector circuits can be designed that recognize an externally applied signal or signals requesting the forced-substrate test mode.
An alternative forcing circuit that allows connection of any negative voltage to the substrate is shown in FIG. 3. The forcing circuit includes a test mode detector 34 and a switching transistor Q8 for connecting the substrate 36 to a predetermined voltage through an external pin 44. The substrate voltage can be connected to any arbitrary negative voltage. The forcing circuit includes a test mode detector circuit 34 having an input coupled to an external primary circuit pin and an output for providing complementary test mode signals TESTMODE and TESTMODE* on conductors 38 and 39. An N-channel switching transistor Q8 has a drain coupled to the substrate 36, a source coupled to the external pin 44, and a gate for receiving the test mode signal VBBTEST, which is logically inverted from TESTMODE*.
Additional circuitry includes P-channel transistors Q4 and Q5, as well as N-channel transistors Q6 and Q7 to form a positive feedback amplifier for controlling the switching action of transistor Q8, as well as the generation of the VBBTEST signal for disabling the on-chip charge pump, if desired. The gates of transistors Q4 and Q5 respectively receive the TESTMODE and TESTMODE* signals, the sources being coupled to the five volt VCC power supply. The drains and cross coupled gates of transistor Q6 and Q7 are respectively coupled to the drains of transistor Q4 and Q5. The coupled drains of transistors Q5 and Q7 are coupled to the gate of transistor Q8 and form the VBBTEST signal on conductor 40. The sources of transistors Q6 and Q7 are coupled to the substrate 36.
In operation, the forcing circuit of FIG. 3 allows connection of any negative voltage to the substrate 36 through external pin 44 during a test operation. During normal operation TESTMODE* is at a logic high state and TESTMODE is at a logic low state. Transistor Q4 is on and circuit node 42 is at a logic high state. Transistor Q7 is also on and effectively connects the gate of switching transistor Q8 to the substrate 36. During normal operation, the voltage on the substrate 36 is aboutxe2x88x921 volts and therefore switching transistor Q8 is off. Assuming that a voltage on external pin 44 is not a threshold voltage below the gate voltage of Q8, the external pin 44 is electrically isolated from the substrate 36. During the substrate-forcing test mode, TESTMODE is at a logic high state and TESTMODE* is at a logic low state. Transistor Q5 turns on, which brings VBBTEST high and turns on transistor Q8. Transistor Q6 is also turned on, which brings node 42 to the substrate potential. Thus, transistor Q7 is turned off, and the substrate 36 and the external pin 44 are electrically coupled together.
A problem with the circuitry of FIG. 3 is electrical isolation of the substrate during normal non-test mode operation. Because external connection 44 is used during operation of the integrated circuit, over-shoot and under-shoot signal voltages can be experienced. An under-shoot voltage which is a threshold voltage (Vt) below the gate of Q8 can couple the substrate to pin 44 and adversely effect the substrate voltage. For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a circuit which the substrate of the integrated circuit is electrically isolated from an external connection during normal operation and which forces the substrate to a predetermined voltage using the external connection during circuit testing.
The above mentioned problems with integrated circuits and other problems are addressed by the present invention and which will be understood by reading and studying the following specification. The invention isolates, during normal operation, an integrated circuit substrate from external potentials having values less than a breakdown potential of the transistor or switching device coupling the substrate and the external pin during a test mode.
In particular, the present invention describes an integrated circuit comprising an external connection for receiving an input signal voltage, and a test mode detector circuit for producing a test mode signal indicating a test operation in response to a received test command, and electrically coupling the external connection to a substrate of the integrated circuit such that the input signal voltage is coupled to the substrate. The integrated circuit includes an isolation circuit coupled between the external connection and the substrate to electrically isolate the external connection from the substrate during non-test operations, whereby an input signal voltage having a potential which is less than an n-channel threshold voltage below a substrate voltage remains isolated from the substrate.
In another embodiment, an integrated circuit memory device comprises an array of memory cells, a substrate, and an input connection for receiving an externally provided signal voltage having an upper voltage level and a lower voltage level during non-test mode operations. A test mode detector circuit is provided for detecting the activation of a test operation and generating first and second output signals. The integrated circuit memory device also comprises an isolation circuit coupled between the input connection and the substrate to electrically isolate the input connection from the substrate during non-test operations such that the lower voltage level received on the input connection during non-test mode operations can be more than a threshold voltage below the substrate voltage, and wherein the input connection is electrically coupled to the substrate via the isolation circuit during test mode operations.
A method of operating in integrated circuit memory device having a substrate is described. The method comprises steps of initiating a test mode, electrically coupling an external input connection to the substrate during the test mode, providing a potential voltage on the external input connection to establish a substrate voltage during the test mode, and terminating that test mode. The method also includes electrically de-coupling the external input connection from the substrate in response to the step of terminating, such that a negative potential can be coupled to the external input connection which is less than a transistor threshold voltage below a substrate voltage during non-test mode operation.